Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory disease mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Common symptoms of CD are diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, fever, weight loss and fatigue.

CD can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract including the mouth, oesophagus, and large intestine, although the most commonly affected area is the final section of the small intestine, known as the ileum. Depending on the severity of disease, CD can cause narrowing of the intestine, known as stricturing, or the formation of connections between parts of the body not normally connected, known as fistulating. It is estimated that CD affects 276 people in every 100,000 people in the UK.^1,2

CD is diagnosed based on a medical history, physical examination, laboratory testing, endoscopy, and a range of imaging techniques. A detailed medical history can help to identify and/or rule out other potential causes for CD symptoms, such as coeliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, diverticulitis, and infection.
Physical examination may help to identify patients in need of immediate medical intervention, and takes into account pulse, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory rate, body weight, and any findings from physical examination₃